Bio

Lisa Rands

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Bio

Lisa Rands

Lisa Rands is a former Open National champion, the first American to win a Bouldering World Cup and reached the rank of number one in the world at competitive bouldering. Lisa inspired a generation of women climbers with her dynamic style, and her bold, gutsy ascents of climbs previously regarded as only, “for the guys.”

Beyond winning numerous national and international events, Lisa’s quest for adventure has taken her around the world to Alpine spires in Patagonia and the revered gritstone cliffs of England; she has authored new boulder problems at the emerging climbing Mecca of Rocklands, South Africa, and has teamed up with legend Peter Croft to establish first ascents in the Sierra backcountry.

Known throughout the world for her exceptional talent, and her drive to push herself both physically and mentally, Lisa is also recognized for her modest personality and friendly demeanor. Lisa is married to Wills Young.

Wills Young was raised in England, and learned to climb there, holding leader falls with a waist belay long before climbing gyms existed. He honed his leading skills through traditional climbing on local gritstone edges, the mountain crags of Scotland, and the dicey sea cliffs of Wales, climbing half a dozen years before he ever clipped a bolt. A move back to his native California saw Wills develop hundreds of boulder problems at climbing areas in Southern California.

After a spell behind the desk as an editor at Climbing magazine, he moved to Bishop, California, with wife-to-be Lisa Rands, where he authored one of the country’s most popular climbing guidebooks, Bishop Bouldering, climbing nearly all of the book’s 2000 boulder problems in the process. In his role as coach, Wills pushed Lisa to improve her technique and propelled her towins at international competitions, training with her through countless gym sessions and thousands of days out on the rock.

HighPointCS

HighPointCS

In 2014 Lisa and her husband Wills Young started the High Point Climbing School in Chattanooga, TN. Lisa and Wills offer private coaching lessons to those looking to improve their climbing skills.